About GeoNames

The GeoNames geographical database is available
for download free of charge under a creative commons attribution license. It
contains over 10 million geographical names and consists of over 9 million unique
features whereof 2.8 million populated places and 5.5 million alternate names. All
features are categorized into one out of nine feature classes and further subcategorized
into one out of 645 feature codes. (more statistics ...).
The data is accessible free of charge through a number of webservices and a daily database export. GeoNames is already serving up to over 150 million web service requests per day.

GeoNames is integrating geographical data such as names of places in various languages, elevation, population and others from various sources. All lat/long coordinates are in WGS84 (World Geodetic System 1984). Users may manually edit, correct and add new names using a user friendly wiki interface.
GeoNames has Ambassadors in many countries who assist with their help and expertise. Meet the GeoNames Team.

Support GeoNames

Press Coverage and Quotations

Linuxworld Dec 2006 put geonames.org on a list of "Ten Web 2.0 APIs you can really use", just behind googlmaps : The GeoNames database is one of the best available, based on multiple data sets, and it uses a liberal Creative Commons Attribution license for its data output. It's also quick and responsive.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee : This is a tremendous set of data you have there.

Nature 13. Feb 2006 : ... we hope that database providers will support initiatives, such as the GeoNames Forum.

Features for online users

search for names with our fulltextsearch (table based or displayed on map)

browse capitals, highest mountains and largest cities on map

browse names on map and show/hide feature classes and codes

bookmark maps

send maps via email

export names as character separated values (csv) file or as png image

edit names (wiki)

add new names to the database (for registered users)

geotagging of names (for registered users)

Wiki

In order to allow users to improve and correct data browser based update possibilities are available. The update rights of the anonymous (not logged in) user are restricted and records may be locked for update depending on the userlevel.(user manual)
The most recent changes are available here.